Some people still will not learn!!!!!!!!!Acela hits car in CT.

[Anonymous]

Seeing how the car is wrapped around the nose of the locomotive, it's amazing that someone survived the crash.

[DrummingTrainfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bergie

There's a photo of the wreck in today's Trains News Wire:

http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/006/198wnqlg.asp

Bergie

OUCH! That was a hard lick. It's amazing that a train can get on top of a car like that...

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jchnhtfd

I hope this link works...
http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=3908855
but with my luck with these modern gadgets...

Thanks, that link works just fine. Don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming Amtrak for this at all, but that Acela can be a sneaky train, clipping along almost silently at 80 MPH.

This one makes me wonder if granny wasn't distracted by the kids.

No offense to the older crowd, but at some age drivers should be required to repass a road test, not just an eye test and a rubber stamp approval.

Let me tell you, I felt better when we got my grandmother out from behind the wheel.

[Bergie]

There's a photo of the wreck in today's Trains News Wire:

http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/006/198wnqlg.asp

Bergie

[miniwyo]

CNN is reporting all occupants were killed. I can't believe somone would drive out there with gates down and lights flashing. It takes less than a minute for an Acela to pass, I think sparing a minute is worth keeping a few people alive.

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jchnhtfd

Chad -- there are, as I recall, four grade crossings left on the northeast corridor, all in Connecticut, and all because the local governments refused to provide funding for overpasses AND refused to allow the roads to be closed. These crossings were reviewed during the planning process, and the towns involved were requested to make the changes. At least they have gates and lights, which at least one witness has indicated were operating properly.

An Acela delay you? Have you watched one go by? But you do have to remember that here in Connecticut stop lights have a different meaning from what they have in the rest of the world: green = go; yellow = go faster; red = floor it

Thanks Jamie, I never knew there was any crossings on the NEC. Those local governments need to take some of the blame for this one.
[banghead]

[CopCarSS]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jchnhtfd

I hope this link works...
http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=3908855
but with my luck with these modern gadgets...

Man, that was a hard hit...I honestly hope a lot of people see that, and see what a train (especially a high speed one) is capable of. It's such a shame that the lady managed to send one grandchild to the graveyard, and another to ICU. Stupid people![banghead][banghead][banghead]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TomDiehl

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheAntiGates

QUOTE: Originally posted by JDV5th

Great. Now they'll have some reason to pull all the Acela's off the tracks and re-check all their braking mechanisms, etc......
If that train was going close to 80, yikes. Not smart.[xx(][V][banghead]

Maybe it would help if they put louder horns on the Acela's ? [:p]

That still won't compensate for the "Moron Factor."

Which was entirely my point.

And I believe the grandmother that died was the driver, so we'll never know why she did it.

Would this be Darwinism?

[:D]

[TomDiehl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TheAntiGates

QUOTE: Originally posted by JDV5th

Great. Now they'll have some reason to pull all the Acela's off the tracks and re-check all their braking mechanisms, etc......
If that train was going close to 80, yikes. Not smart.[xx(][V][banghead]

Maybe it would help if they put louder horns on the Acela's ? [:p]

That still won't compensate for the "Moron Factor."

And I believe the grandmother that died was the driver, so we'll never know why she did it.

Would this be Darwinism?

[jchnhtfd]

Chad -- there are, as I recall, four grade crossings left on the northeast corridor, all in Connecticut, and all because the local governments refused to provide funding for overpasses AND refused to allow the roads to be closed. These crossings were reviewed during the planning process, and the towns involved were requested to make the changes. At least they have gates and lights, which at least one witness has indicated were operating properly.

An Acela delay you? Have you watched one go by? But you do have to remember that here in Connecticut stop lights have a different meaning from what they have in the rest of the world: green = go; yellow = go faster; red = floor it

[chad thomas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by samfp1943

THE very reason for the existence of " Operation Lifesaver".. I am sure the driver of the car would consider him/herself blameless, after all they were in a hurry and the train was going to be delaying them. Never considering the results of the actions of one individual. At least it was not a larger truck or bus.. The true victims are the train crews. They have to live with the results of someone else's foolish action..This too is the justification for cameras in locomotive cabs..Potentially good material for a "Worlds Best..'Stupid drivers' video" program.

Program? shoot, they could probably start a new channel with all the material they would get.[;)]

[wairoa]

Should add cow catchers to the Acela[:D]

[samfp1943]

THE very reason for the existence of " Operation Lifesaver".. I am sure the driver of the car would consider him/herself blameless, after all they were in a hurry and the train was going to be delaying them. Never considering the results of the actions of one individual. At least it was not a larger truck or bus.. The true victims are the train crews. They have to live with the results of someone else's foolish action..This too is the justification for cameras in locomotive cabs..Potentially good material for a "Worlds Best..'Stupid drivers' video" program.

[JDV5th]

QUOTE: Originally posted by trainboyH16-44

Everyone is against trains except us railfans, let's start a pro-rail campaign!
Trainboy

That's a great idea. I'm all for it. Now, let's put Mineta in charge of it, dooh, wait. Not good. Cheney? Bush?[banghead][X-)]

Better be a grass roots movement.[;)]
JDV

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by JDV5th

Great. Now they'll have some reason to pull all the Acela's off the tracks and re-check all their braking mechanisms, etc......
If that train was going close to 80, yikes. Not smart.[xx(][V][banghead]

Maybe it would help if they put louder horns on the Acela's ? [:p]

[trainboyH16-44]

Everyone is against trains except us railfans, let's start a pro-rail campaign!
Trainboy

[chad thomas]

I though the NE corridor was compleatly grade seperated. It's obvious I was wrong. How many grade crossings are there on that line?

[jchnhtfd]

I hope this link works...
http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=3908855
but with my luck with these modern gadgets...

[tree68]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DrummingTrainfan

QUOTE: Originally posted by OneSecondPle

i bet the acela gets the blame....

The way I understood FNC's analysis this morning they were implying that the train crew decided to hit the car...but that's just my analysis.

And probably swerved so they could....[:p]

[DrummingTrainfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by OneSecondPle

i bet the acela gets the blame....

The way I understood FNC's analysis this morning they were implying that the train crew decided to hit the car...but that's just my analysis.

[chad thomas]

Car vs train = car looses.......still holds true. [banghead]

[Anonymous]

i bet the acela gets the blame....

[JDV5th]

Great. Now they'll have some reason to pull all the Acela's off the tracks and re-check all their braking mechanisms, etc......
If that train was going close to 80, yikes. Not smart.[xx(][V][banghead]

[jchnhtfd]

Connecticut drivers are some of the worst in the world, and traffic law enforcement is almost non-existent (not the fault of the cops -- they do the best they can -- but when practically every other vehicle is doing something wrong what are they to do?). Not surprised. I hope the crew on the Acela is OK...

[Mookie]

The WSJ news just said this morning that Acela was up and running just fine, thank you.

Now this....!

[Anonymous]

How fast was the train going? Was it going 80 or lower?

[Anonymous]

I was just watching TV and saw an Acela train hit a car on a grade crossing near Waterford CT. The track speed there is still only 80 mph. There is a TV station there WTNH-TV. I can not wait to hear the drivers excuse for this one. The accident happened about 8:15 am eastern time.